'Colour My World' gives classical edge to rock 'n' roll

By John ChaconaContributing writer

April 4, 2013 12:49 PM

By John ChaconaContributing writer

April 4, 2013 12:49 PM

HEAR IT

"Colour My World: Chicago and Friends," with Jeans 'n Classics and the Erie Philharmonic Pops conducted by Matthew Kraemer, will be presented Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Warner Theatre, 811 State St. Check for the availability of tickets at www.eriephil.org or 455-1375, Ext. 4. For more on Jeans 'n Classics, visit www.jeansnclassics.com.

Music is a business for Peter Brennan, the founder of Jeans 'n Classics, the London, Ontario-based aggregation whose rock band and orchestra concerts have been a staple of recent Erie Pops seasons.

But taking the stage for a Jeans 'n Classics concert, as Brennan and his cohorts will do Saturday night at the Warner Theatre, is hardly a day at the office.

The final Pops concert of the season is a tribute to the so-called "horn bands" of the late 1960s rock era, Blood Sweat & Tears and Chicago, and it's one of guitarist Brennan's favorite shows to play.

"It just sounds really good to me. There's super horn section stuff, but also orchestral highlights, and that always appeals to me," said Brennan, who writes many of the arrangements for shows. They run the gamut from the symphonic rock of Pink Floyd to a disco tribute show. But he didn't always feel that way about "Colour My World: Chicago and Friends."

"When we did the last update on this show, which was maybe 18 months ago, it just took off, and the modifications really did it for me," he said. The key was adding songs by Earth, Wind & Fire, the Los Angeles funk and R&B band that melded Afro-Latin percussion, big-band horns and unstoppable grooves.

"They just bring so many worlds together," Brennan said. "They've got wicked chops, but they swing like mad, but they are rockers when they want to be. 'Shining Star' is funky rock that just puts everyone to shame."

"Funky rock" was the goal for the early horn bands, and Blood, Sweat & Tears was among the first. Ironically, that band's indelible lead singer, David Clayton-Thomas, is a native of London, though Brennan doesn't know him.

That band attempted to combine Chicago-style blues with a horn section, which was pretty much the formula for Chicago, before it turned into a pop-chart hit machine. A guitarist who thinks orchestrally, Brennan is a fan of the scale of Chicago's music, which also provides one of Brennan's favorite moments in the show.

"Ah, my guilty pleasures," he laughed. "I love playing 'Make Me Smile.' It's a flawless pop song that actually does make me smile, and the orchestra gets the big Terry Kath guitar solo, which is great fun."

The entire program is fun, a boogie wonderland of irresistible beats, blazing horns and orchestral colors. And it will make you smile.

HEAR IT

"Colour My World: Chicago and Friends," with Jeans 'n Classics and the Erie Philharmonic Pops conducted by Matthew Kraemer, will be presented Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Warner Theatre, 811 State St. Check for the availability of tickets at www.eriephil.org or 455-1375, Ext. 4. For more on Jeans 'n Classics, visit www.jeansnclassics.com.